I received your note of the 23d, to night, & will reply immediately. We have got neither of the Trunks, yet & are wondering what in the world is the matter. We are afraid Budlong will dissappointed us. We had got our mouths all Fixed for the Dinner.

In regards to our dividing the Things, they are common property. We have no trouble, all goes off well. Aleck is in with us, so now we have five in the Tent. It is just the same, as Common property.

I did not know, that I wrote gloomy letters, I am sure, I feel well enough. You would think so if you could see us here. Just as soon as I get my papers I have hundreds of chances, to lend them. After I read them, that is the last I see of them. I seldom get any Daily Papers here they cost 5 cts, & I cant afford that.

You ask me the price of things here. Molasses 20cts a qt Sugar 20cts, a Lb, Oysters 20cts a Pint, Pres 12cts a piece & very poor at that. Candles 4 cts a piece. In short every thing is awful dear. For instance Cheese 25cts a lb. Our Sutler is making his fortune. If he does not come down, a little The boys will tear down his Tent. You can buy almost every thing you want at Alexandria, but you cant get there every day. There is a great deal of Business done there, of course a great deal of it is Government.

You need not think there will be any trouble about dividing the things in the Trunk. We shall get along with that. The boys divide every thing. Al is reading now what he is going to have from home. Al got a letter from home brought by Mr Budlong, he sent it from Washington.

the 4th Del 115 NY, left this AM for Fortress Monroe.

We got from them a splendid little Stove, boxes & Cupboards & have got our Tent fixed up Splendid. I would give a Great deal, if Mother & You could look in now. H Warren laying behind me in the Bunk, writing a letter, Barney reading a Paper. Albert H thinking of the Trunk, Aleck laying in the Bunk, sick with a head ache. It looks just like a Family Circle. everything goes off smooth. We have got the most convient [sic] House in the Row. We are Bragging a good deal over the Two Trunks. I shall get a pass for Washington, then I can bring up the Trunk. The way we arrange it here, one gets up one morning & lights up the Fire, washes the Dishes, sweeps the room & the next day, some one else.

Appearances are very favorable for our staying here, we are doing no Drilling, nothing but Fatique Duty. The Fight with Pickets, I spoke about in my last was this. We have two lines of Cavalry Pickets, about a mile apart, The outer ones were driven in & the inner ones fired into them. We have no Picket Duty to do now

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Manley Stacey

born October 29, 1842

died December 26, 1863

Written during the battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863

"When we camped last, we could see the wounded coming in, those that were able to walk, and the cavalry horses coming in riderless. This showed us that something was going on...I think this will be an awful battle very soon and of course we are in for it...It is a sad sight to see the wounded brought in on stretchers, the poor boys all covered with blood & as pale as death.

"Last night at 4 PM we were ordered to march and form in Line of battle on our left. After a great deal of confusion, we got formed and then we were ordered to advance, right in the face of the rebel guns who were firing their grape and canisters into us by wholesale...After a great deal of marching and counter marching, we were ordered to charge on a rebel battery. We were now right in front of our canons, advancing on their guns, the rebel sharpshooters in our rear picking off our officers. This was an awful time the shells taking the men down by ranks. While we were marching, a man was shot, and the Blood was spilling all over my face, it perfectly Blinded me.

"At 1 PM we were shelled by 100 guns, all concentrated on the force supporting the battery. There we laid behind a stone wall, the shells passing over us and killing the men all around me. Three men were killed and thrown across me, covering me with blood. While we were laying here, a shell struck a stone in the wall and killed a man throwing the man across my legs and the stone striking me in the back & doubling me up.

"We have got about 18 men now in the Company fit for duty and 150 in the Regiment. We went in the fight with over 400, and have yet now 150."